By Mark Vester
It's not a joke. WBO interim-lightweight champion Michael Katsidis has called out Anthony Mundine, the IBO middleweight champion. Katsidis is willing to move up by several weight divisions to meet Mundine in a huge all-Australian showdown. Katsidis would like set a weight of 154. Mundine was scheduled to fight Robert Medley at 154 on Monday. The fight was changed to a middleweight contest a few days ago. Mundine blames a rift with the IBO for the weight switch but insiders believe there were serious weight struggles that forced that decision.
Katsidis is not worried about the size advantage for Mundine. He doesn't think they are that far apart.
"This (fight) is something that would really lift the profile of the sport in Australia," Katsidis told AAP. "It's just not me, I think a lot of people would like to see that. The very first time it (a fight with Mundine) dawned upon me is when he flew over to watch me fight Casamayor. He came over to America and he stood next to me and I thought he's not that much taller. He's definitely not wider than me, in the shoulders, he's not as big as me."
He isn't worried about Mundine's hand speed either.
"It's nothing different to the lightweights that I am experiencing over here. The speed of the guys is as fast if not faster, so I am used to that," Katsidis said.
Katsidis is waiting to see if WBO lightweight champion Juan Manuel Marquez will honor his mandatory title opportunity. If Marquez refuses, then Katsidis becomes the full champion.
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